Russia, China Unlikely to Support New UN Sanctions Against North Korea

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the source, Russia decided not to support additional sanctions restrictions against North Korea.

“The proposed restrictions imply introduction of embargo on energy supplies to Pyongyang and a ban on employing North Korean nationals abroad. The document will not be supported both by Moscow and Beijing,” a diplomatic source told the Izvestiya newspaper.

Last week, leaders of the United States, Japan and South Korea met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the German city of Hamburg and agreed to press for prompt adoption of a new resolution by the UN Security Council that would impose additional sanctions on North Korea. France and the United Kingdom have also called for new restrictive measures against Pyongyang.

On July 4, North Korea announced it had successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, saying it traveled 580 miles and reached an altitude of 1,740 miles during its 39-minute flight before accurately hitting a targeted area in the Sea of Japan. The test was sharply criticized by the international community.